Dutch brewing company Heineken has purchased a 50 percent stake in the California-based Lagunitas Brewing Company to capitalize on the growing American craft beer movement.

"We are very excited to partner with Lagunitas,” said Jean-Francois van Boxmeer, chairman of the executive board and CEO of Heineken. “We recognize and respect the tremendous success of Tony and his team in building one of the great U.S. craft beer brands. We look forward to that same team partnering with us to expand Lagunitas globally, so it can reach parts of the world that other craft beer brands have not."